We're now open on Saturdays 09:00-13:00 (pre-booked appointments only)
Call us: 0115 647 9990
Mapperley Dental Studio · 870 Woodborough Road · 0115 647 9990
Tooth-coloured repairs for decay and damage
Removing decay, sealing the tooth, and restoring its shape with a tooth-coloured filling that blends in with your smile.
White fillings are made from composite resin, shade-matched to your natural teeth and bonded directly to the tooth. They can be used on front and back teeth, and to replace old silver fillings where the tooth is suitable.
White composite fillingsFrom £179
Fully private practice, no long waiting list
Early, late and weekend appointments available
Booked in advance, subject to availability
Membership plans from £14.10 a month
The straight answer
A white filling repairs a tooth damaged by decay or fracture using tooth-coloured composite resin. The decayed tissue is removed, the cavity is cleaned and shaped, and composite is bonded to the tooth in layers to seal it and rebuild its natural form and shade.
Decay is caused by bacteria producing acid that dissolves the tooth. Once a cavity has formed it will not remineralise, and left alone it progresses towards the nerve, eventually causing pain, infection, or the loss of the tooth.
Composite is bonded to the tooth in thin layers, each hardened with a curing light. Because it holds to the tooth chemically, the preparation can usually be kept smaller and more healthy tooth is preserved.
A filling restores the tooth; it does not make it new. Every filling has a working life, and the larger the restoration relative to remaining tooth, the more likely a crown will eventually be needed instead.
Why patients come to us
Visible discolouration in a groove or between teeth often indicates decay that has broken through the enamel surface. It does not reverse on its own.
Practical outcome: the decay is removed and the tooth sealed with a tooth-coloured filling before it reaches the nerve.
Fillings develop failing margins and can fracture, letting bacteria back underneath. Decay then progresses out of sight beneath the restoration.
Practical outcome: the old restoration and any decay beneath it are removed and the tooth is rebuilt in white composite.
Older silver (amalgam) fillings can be visible when you smile or laugh, and can make teeth look darker.
Practical outcome: where the tooth is suitable, the old filling is replaced with a shade-matched white filling.
What this treatment gives you, and the practicalities worth knowing before you book.
Suitability
Attend the examination and hygiene intervals your dentist recommends
Follow the home cleaning routine agreed with your dentist or hygienist
Tell us about medical conditions and medication, and about any changes
Your dentist will confirm whether this treatment is suitable after examining your teeth, gums, bite and wider oral health.
Step by step
The extent of the decay is assessed clinically and, where indicated, on X-ray, and your options are discussed with you.
The tooth and surrounding area are numbed where the cavity is deep enough to warrant it. Very small surface cavities are sometimes treated without.
Decayed tissue is removed and the cavity cleaned. Any old failing restoration is taken out at the same time.
A composite shade is chosen to match your tooth, then bonded and built up in layers, each set with a curing light.
The filling is contoured and polished, and your bite is checked and adjusted so the tooth meets evenly.
Fillings are checked at your routine examinations. Tell the practice sooner if the tooth feels high or remains sensitive.
The first appointment is an examination and a discussion. No treatment is carried out without your agreement, and you leave with a written plan and costs.
Fees
Fees depend on what the examination finds, which is why the figures below are starting points rather than quotations.
One examination and one hygiene appointment a year, priority access and emergency support.
Two examinations and two hygiene appointments a year, priority access and emergency support.
Two examinations and four hygiene appointments a year, priority access and emergency support.
All three plans include priority appointment availability, a 10% discount on non-cosmetic treatment and eligibility for the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme.
Your personalised cost is confirmed in writing after your examination. The figures above are starting prices for guidance only. They are not a quotation and do not take account of your individual clinical needs. You will receive a written plan setting out the recommended treatment, sequence and cost. No treatment begins until you have agreed it.
Your dentist
Whether someone comes in for a check-up or a full cosmetic plan, the first appointment is the same: time to listen, a proper look, and a clear explanation of the options and what they cost. Everything else follows from that.
Dr Rupchhen Tamang, Principal Dentist
A general dental practitioner is not a specialist. The word "specialist" should not be used unless a clinician appears on the relevant GDC specialist list.
Comfort and aftercare
Local anaesthetic is used where the cavity is deep enough to warrant it. Numbing is usually described as a sharp scratch followed by pressure, after which the tooth should feel nothing sharp.
Agree a hand signal with your dentist before starting. If anything becomes uncomfortable, treatment stops and more anaesthetic can be given.
Numbness lasts two to four hours. Avoid hot drinks and chewing on that side until sensation returns, and take particular care with children, who may bite their lip or cheek without feeling it.
Sensitivity to cold for a few days is common after a deep filling and normally settles. Contact the practice if the tooth feels high when you bite, if pain increases rather than settles, or if sensitivity persists beyond two weeks.
Common questions
A straightforward single-surface filling usually takes around half an hour including numbing. Larger restorations involving several surfaces, or replacing an old failing filling with decay underneath, take longer. Most fillings are completed in one appointment, and your dentist will tell you what to expect when planning the work.
Modern composite performs well in most situations, including back teeth, and bonds to the tooth, which usually means less healthy tooth needs removing. Where a cavity is very large or the tooth takes heavy biting forces, your dentist may recommend an inlay, onlay or crown instead and will explain why.
Composite is shade-matched to the surrounding tooth and is generally not noticeable in normal conversation. Over several years the margins can pick up staining from tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco, and can be polished or repaired at your routine visits.
Removing decay close to the nerve leaves it temporarily irritated, and cold sensitivity for a few days to a couple of weeks is common. It normally settles. If it worsens, if the tooth becomes painful without a trigger, or if sensitivity is still present after two weeks, contact the practice so the tooth can be reassessed.
Yes, existing silver (amalgam) fillings can be replaced with white composite where the tooth is suitable. Bear in mind that replacing a sound, functioning filling removes more tooth structure in the process. Where the existing restoration is not failing, your dentist will explain the trade-off between appearance and conserving tooth.
There is no reliable single figure, because longevity depends on the size of the restoration, where it is in the mouth, your biting forces, your cleaning and your diet. What can be said is that no filling is permanent, and each one is checked at your routine examinations so that replacement is planned rather than urgent.
Still unsure about something? Call the practice on 0115 647 9990 and ask.
Finding us
| Monday | 9am to 5pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8am to 8pm |
| Wednesday | 8am to 8pm |
| Thursday | 9am to 5pm |
| Friday | 9am to 5pm |
| Saturday | Pre-booked appointments only |
| Sunday | Closed |
Patient feedback
Your first appointment is an assessment and a conversation. You leave with a written plan setting out what is recommended, in what order, and what it costs, and you decide what happens next.
